USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard [What’s Better?]

firearmreview
November 29, 2018

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The National Rifle Association has finally decided to get serious about the post-incident legal protection and launched NRA Carry Guard, their new product to compete against the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) and a host of others.

Did I mention that they went high-profile with this?

I wasn’t kidding. This was what we saw when we walked into the SHOT Show 2018 convention center…

Carry Guard Banner

… and this was the primary entrance to the show floor itself.

NRA Carry Guard

Subtle, they are not.

But how does NRA Carry Guard stack up to all the other post-incident legal plans out there?

Fortunately for you, I’ve written about this sort of thing in the past, so I can attempt some sort of apples to apples comparison of all the plans out there.

All the information on this comparison chart was created from either from what was on each plan’s website or from talking with representatives of each plan in-person or on the phone.

As such, there are some gaps, as I’ve not managed to pry some info out of the few companies on this list, and I recommend you read your policy very carefully before you sign anything.

How does NRA Carry Guard stack up? Well, as a self-insurance, it’s right in there with the rest of them. I’m glad to see them get serious about this product because they’ve been leaving money on the table for a long time now and others have jumped into the fray with some pretty good results.

So now that we’ve covered the lower-end of the spectrum, not the “Cadillac” plans, let’s look at how things shape up at the top end of the scale, and compare USCCA Elite CCW insurance versus NRA Carry Guard Gold Plus concealed carry legal insurance.

USCCA vs NRA Carry Guard

NRA Carry Guard Gold Plus

Aside from all the benefits listed below, NRA Carry Guard Gold Plus comes with a one-year membership in the NRA. The NRA also recently had a “Carry Guard Expo” featuring training opportunities and a trade show, and instructors can also add NRA Carry Guard training to what they teach.

Coverage costs EITHER $550 a year OR $49 a month, and the NRA is promoting Carry Guard very heavily right now. The NRA’s coverage is “first dollar” coverage: You will have to pay for your lawyers in some way, then, if you are acquitted, the NRA will reimburse you. NRA CarryGuard also covers your spouse if they need to use a firearm to defend a life, and it covers firearms only, not the use of other means of lethal force.

USCCA Self Defense Shield Elite

USCCA membership comes with a subscription to Concealed Carry magazine (my first article for them should show up early next year), and coverage costs EITHER $497 a year or $47 a month. The USCCA puts on a “Concealed Carry Expo” each year, and has so for the past four years.

The USCCA also has their own cadre of trainers with their own training program as well.

USCCA self-defense insurance covers your spouse and also covers anyone under the age of 21 in your household if they need to use lethal force to defend a life.

They cover most means of lethal force (knives, pointed sticks, fresh fruit) as well as the use of a firearm. The USCCA’s coverage starts immediately, which means there are no out-of-pocket expenses incurred by you up to the limits of your policy if you are acquitted.